Phase 1 of my big birthday celebration was held this past Saturday. While I don't like a fuss being made over me, I admit that it was fun to hear people guess the answers to trivia questions such as "What was Michelle's first car?" and "How many first cousins does Michelle have?" The food was, of course, delicious- the Bohl's always make a great meal. The decorations and favors, a production by Cincinnati Sophisticate (AKA Stephanie and Beth), were beautiful. And the company made for good fun conversation. Thanks go to Connie for watching the kids so we could stay out late.
After dinner, we retired to the Mariemont Inn, walking distance from dinner so we didn't have to drive. Beth went back to our place to stay with the kids so we could sleep uninterrupted and wake to have breakfast at our own pace. We enjoyed a child-free night on a Tempurpedic bed, and now we both want to buy one. John was particularly impressed with the tv hidden behind artwork, although the fireplace was fake. But by the end of breakfast I was missing the kids. We returned home and I spent Sunday doing absolutely nothing productive.
Last night when Charlie got home he could not wait to show me my birthday present, only the second gift he actually picked out all by himself (the first being the alligator for Liam's birthday last week). He's getting so big! I can't wait to display my new stuffed snowman for the holidays. I have a feeling that Charlie will be helping me use the stickers that he picked out to go with the snowman.
Phase 2 of Operation Big 4-0 started off this morning with all 5 of us in our bed, Charlie and John singing me Happy Birthday. After John left to drop the kids at daycare and go to work, I got to find out what it was like to be one of those people who sit in Starbucks, sipping their beverage, reading the paper or working on their laptop, while people like me rush in and out, stopping only to grab their chai tea latte on their way to a busy day at work or school. Unfortunately the time passed so quickly that by the time I got done perusing the birthday wishes on Facebook via my blackberry, there was no time to write the thank you notes that I had brought with me to work on, because I had to get to my massage and pedicure appointments. Taking today off was one of the best decisions I've made in a long time. Maybe this will become a new tradition for me.
This past decade definitely seemed to go by more quickly than the one prior. A decade ago, John and I just began dating, and now we've been married for 8 wonderful years and have 2 adorable kids. We've traveled together, bought a house, got a dog, struggled with the challenges of starting a family, drank a lot of wine, held annual Memorial Day weekend cookouts to kick off the summers, prepared countless pots of chili for Buckeye football games and Superbowls, played a lot of broomball, took tens of thousands of photos, said goodbye to loved ones, and made a lot of great new friends. For all of this I am thankful. Now on to the next decade, watching the kids grow up, and hopefully continuing some of the same activities that inspired us these past 10 years.
In 2 weeks I'll be packing for Phase 3 of the birthday hoopla. Beth and I will be continuing the new combined tradition of Black Friday shopping and football, this time in NYC. John thinks we're crazy, and maybe we are. Let's just hope the Bengals figure out how to win by then for my first live NFL game.
A nice friend reminded me that I spend a lot of my time focusing on taking care of others' needs, so I might just not load those clothes in the washer today, after all. Maybe I should abide by the answer in the party game trivia quiz about me and spend my precious moments alone in the house by catching up on the DVR and napping! Then again, as with shopping for Christmas gift wrap at the Container Store after my pedicure today, I just can't help myself! To the laundry I go.....
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